Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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130. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the student grant appeals board will accept a late student grant appeal from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10637/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the student referred to by the Deputy, appealed the decision of the awarding authority to the SUSI appeals officer and a decision letter issued from the appeals officer on the 21st of July 2016.  The student was advised that if she was not satisfied with the decision of the appeals officer, she could appeal the decision to the Student Grants Appeals Board (SGAB) within the statutory time limits.

Under Section 21(2) of the Student Support Act 2011, an applicant has 30 days from the date of the Appeals Officer's decision in the awarding authority, to submit an appeal to the Student Grants Appeals Board.  Under Section 21(3) of the Act, the Board may extend this period by a further 30 days if it is satisfied that the applicant has given reasonable cause to do so. The Board has no discretion to alter or extend the time period beyond that allowed for in the Act.

I have been advised that the student in question submitted an appeal to the SGAB on 13 January 2017. As the appeal was outside the statutory time limits, it was rejected by the SGAB.